The Democrat made his remarks during the annual Taste of Maryland dinner and were reported on Twitter by the Maryland Department of Agriculture.

The Salisbury Daily Times reports that his press secretary Nina Smith issued a statement saying that the governor did not feel the chicken tax would actually strike a balance between the needs of the bay and the needs of the agriculture industry.

The Poultry Fair Share Act was introduced by two Montgomery Democrats in the state legislature.

It would have required poultry companies such as Perdue to pay a tax on all chickens deliver to growers in Maryland.

That money would have been used for cover crop programs where chicken manure is used.